Support element for a fan and fan equipped therewith

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a support element ( 2 ) for holding a fan ( 1 ), in particular an axial fan, comprising a wall ring ( 4 ) for receiving the fan ( 1 ). The wall ring ( 4 ) has on its outer periphery a hinge ( 20 ) consisting of a first hinge part ( 22 ) that is connected to the wall ring ( 4 ) and a second hinge part ( 24 ) that can be pivoted about a hinge axis (X) relative to the first hinge part ( 22 ). The invention further relates to a fan ( 1 ) comprising such a support element ( 2 ).

According to the generic part of claim 1, the present invention relates to a support element for holding a fan, in particular, an axial fan, comprising a wall ring for receiving the fan.

Moreover, the invention also relates to a fan having such a support element.

Fans, especially axial fans, are often used in refrigeration and air-conditioning technology to convey air through heat exchangers. For this purpose, each fan is mounted via its support element onto a mounting wall in the area in front of a wall opening in such a way that the air conveyed by the fan flows through the heat exchanger that is arranged behind the wall opening. For hygiene-related reasons, such heat exchangers have to be cleaned alter a certain period of operation. Until now, the fan, with its support element, had to be completely dismantled for this purpose, that is to say, the so-called wall ring had to be removed from the mounting wall so that the heat exchanger could be accessed in order to be cleaned. This was very time-consuming and labor-intensive.

The present invention is based on the objective of improving a support element of the described type in such a way that the above-mentioned maintenance work is simplified.

According to the invention, this is achieved by the features of the independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are contained in the dependent claims as well as in the description below. A fan with the support element according to the invention is the subject matter of claim 14.

Before this backdrop, it is provided according to the invention that the outer circumference of the wall ring has a hinge comprising a first hinge part that is permanently joined to the wall ring, and a second hinge part that can be pivoted around a hinge axis relative to the first hinge part. Since the second hinge part is likewise fastened to the mounting wall in the area next to the wall opening, when maintenance work is to be carried out later on, the wall ring merely has to be loosened from the wall, but remains connected to the mounting wall via the hinge, so that a complete dismantling is no longer necessary. The entire fan can then be easily and conveniently pivoted away from the wall opening on the articulated hinge suspension of the wall ring like a flip-lid or a door. There is no need for a complex and complete dismantling and reinstallation of the fan. The heat exchanger is thus readily accessible for cleaning. Subsequently, the fan just has to be pivoted back in front of the wall opening and the wall ring has to be affixed to the wall.

The invention will be explained in greater detail below on the basis of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing. The following is shown:

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a fan with a support element according to the invention, whereby a binge according to the invention is shown separately in a partially exploded view,

FIG. 2 an enlarged section of area II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 another perspective view of the fan according to FIG. 1 from another viewing direction and in an exploded view of the hinge,

FIG. 4 an enlarged section of area IV in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 a perspective view of the fan in a mounted position together with a mounting wall, and

FIG. 6 a perspective view of the arrangement according to FIG. 5, with the fan swiveled via the hinge.

In the various figures of the drawing, the same parts are always designated with the same reference numerals.

Pertaining to the description below, it should be explicitly pointed out that the invention is not limited to the embodiments and, in that context, not limited to all or several features of described feature combinations, but rather, any individual partial feature of the embodiment or of each embodiment can also have an inventive significance separately from all of the other partial features described in conjunction with it, either on its own or else in combination with any features of another embodiment, and also independently of the feature combinations and back-references in the claims.

As first seen in FIG. 1, in the preferred embodiment shown there, a fan 1 is configured as an axial fan. The fan 1 has a support element 2 with a so-called wall ring 4. An electric fan motor 6 with a fan impeller 8 is attached in the center of the wall ring 4.

According to FIGS. 5 and 6, the fan 1 can be attached via its will ring 4 to a mounting wall in the area in front of a wall opening 12, for which purpose, the wall ring 4 preferably has a flange-like holding section 14 with mounting holes 16.

According to the invention, the wall ring 4 has a hinge 20 at a place on its outer circumference. This hinge 20 comprises a first hinge part 22 that is permanently joined, especially in one piece, to the wall ring 4, and a second hinge part 24 that can be pivoted around a hinge axis X relative to the first hinge part 22. The hinge axis X preferably runs tangentially to the wall ring 4 or—as shown—to a tangent that is offset parallel towards the outside and in a ring plane defined by the wall ring 4.

In the embodiment shown, the second hinge part 24 is configured in two parts and consists of two, especially identical, holding plates 26 that are at a distance from each other in the direction of the hinge axis X.

The first hinge part 22 is preferably configured together with the wall ring 4 as a one-piece molded part, especially made of plastic. Moreover, each holding plate 26 is preferably configured as a one-piece plastic molded part.

As can be seen especially in the enlarged sections in FIGS. 2 and 4, the two hinge parts 22, 24 have, on the one hand, flush bearing receptacles 28 in the direction of the hinge axis X, and, on the other hand, bearing journals 30. Here, the bearing journals 30 are inserted into the bearing receptacles 28 in a joining direction that is parallel to the center axis of the wall ring 4. For this purpose, the bearing receptacles 28 are configured as open bearing shells corresponding to the joining direction. The second hinge part 24 has several journal projections 32 that extend perpendicular to the hinge axis X and that each have two opposing axial bearing journals 30, whereby each journal projection 32 intermeshes between two receiving projections 34 of the first hinge part 22 and, with its bearing journal 30, into opposite, corresponding bearing receptacles 28 of the receiving projections 34. in a preferred embodiment, the second hinge part 24, with its lateral bearing receptacles 36, additionally extends over axial bearing journals 38 of the first hinge part 22.

Preferably, each holding plate 26 has two journal projections 32 so that the hinge 20 has a total of four journal projections 32 that each have two bearing journals 30. Thus, a total of eight bearing journals 30 are arranged in the direction of the hinge axis X, one behind the other, in corresponding bearing receptacles 28. Consequently, this large bearing length accounts for a high mechanical stability of the hinge 20, as a result of which it is also suitable for large and heavy fans 1.

Preferably, the hinge parts 22, 24 that have been joined together perpendicular to the hinge axis X are secured against coming loose by latching means 40 so that the hinge parts 22, 24 are already held together securely when the fan 1 is delivered and before it is attached to a mounting wall 10. As can especially be seen in FIG. 2, these latching means 40 can be in the form of resilient latching projections 42 of the first hinge part 22, whereby the latching projections 42 are arranged and configured in such a way that, after the hinge parts 22, 24 have been joined together, they extend behind the journal projections 32 of the second hinge part 24 so as to latch.

A preferred embodiment additionally provides that the hinge parts 22, 24 can only be joined and separated in a defined relative pivoted position. In the embodiment shown, this is achieved in that each bearing journal 30—especially see FIG. 2 in this context—has a lateral flattened area 44 which reduces the cross section of the bearing journal 30. Each shell-shaped bearing receptacle 28 has a correspondingly narrow insertion opening. In this manner, in all of the other pivoted positions, the bearing journals 30 are secured with a positive fit in the hearing receptacles 28 against coming loose, since then, they do not fit with their entire diameter through the narrowed insertion openings of the bearing receptacles 28.

As can also be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second hinge part 24 can be attached to the mounting wall 10 in the area next to the wall opening 12. For this purpose, the second hinge part 24 or each holding plate 26 has corresponding mounting holes 46 for fastening screws (not shown here). By attaching the second hinge part 24 to the mounting wall 10, the entire fan 1—after the wall ring 4 has been loosened from the mounting wall 10—can be pivoted like a door away from the wall opening 12—see FIG. 6. Since the second hinge part 24 or each holding plate 26 is joined to the first hinge part 22 from the side opposite from the mounting wall 10, after the attachment of the second hinge part 24 to the mounting wall 10, the first hinge part 22 with the wall ring 4 can no longer become detached from the second hinge part 24 since the receiving projections 34 with the bearing receptacles 28 are secured against coming loose by means of the journal projections 32 with the bearing journals 30.

It should also be pointed out that, especially in a middle area of the first hinge part 22 as seen in the circumferential direction, the wall ring 4 has at least one cable insertion opening 48 for a motor cable (not shown here) leading to the fan motor 6. According to FIG. 1, there are preferably two insertion openings 48 in the area situated between the two holding plates 26.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, but rather, it encompasses all embodiments that have the same effect as set forth in the invention. It should be explicitly pointed out that the embodiments are not limited to all of the features in combination, but rather, that every single partial feature can have inventive significance, also separately from all of the other partial features. Moreover, the invention is not yet limited to the feature combinations defined in the specific independent claim, but rather, it can also be defined by any other desired combination of certain features among all of the individual features altogether disclosed. This means that Fundamentally speaking, practically any individual feature of the specific independent claim can be left out or replaced by at least one individual feature disclosed in another place in the application. Consequently, the claims are only to be understood as an initial attempt at formulating an invention. 

1. A support element (2) for holding a fan (1), in particular, an axial fan, comprising a wall ring (4) for receiving the fan (1), characterized in that the outer circumference of the wall ring (4) has a hinge (20) comprising a first hinge part (22) that is joined to the wall ring (4), and a second hinge part (24) that can be pivoted around a hinge axis (X) relative to the first hinge part (22). 2-14. (canceled)
 15. A support element (2) for holding a fan (1), in particular, an axial fan, comprising a wall ring (4) for receiving the fan (1), characterized in that the outer circumference of the wall ring (4) has a hinge (20) comprising a first hinge part (22) that is joined to the wall ring (4), and a second hinge part (24) that can be pivoted around a hinge axis (X) relative to the first hinge part (22), whereby the hinge axis (X) runs tangentially to the wall ring (4) or to a tangent that is offset parallel in a ring plane defined by the wall ring (4), whereby the second hinge part (24) is configured in two parts and consists of two, especially identical, holding plates (26) that are at a distance from each other in the direction of the hinge axis (X).
 16. The support element according to claim 15, characterized in that the first hinge part (22) is joined in one piece to the wall ring (4).
 17. The support element according to claim 15, characterized in that the two hinge parts (22, 24) have, on the one hand, flush bearing receptacles (28) in the direction of the hinge axis (X), and, on the other hand, bearing journals (30) that are joined in a joining direction that is parallel to the center axis of the wall ring (4).
 18. The support element according to claim 17, characterized in that the bearing receptacles (28) are configured as open bearing shells corresponding to the joining direction.
 19. The support element according to claim 17, characterized in that the second hinge part (24) has several journal projections (32) that extend perpendicular to the hinge axis (X) and that each have two opposing axial bearing journals (30), whereby each journal projection (32) intermeshes between two receiving projections (34) of the first hinge part (22) and, with its bearing journal (30), into opposite bearing receptacles (28) of the receiving projections (34).
 20. The support element according to claim 17, characterized in that the second hinge part (24), with bearing receptacles (36), additionally extends over axial bearing journals (38) of the first hinge part (22).
 21. The support element according to claim 17, characterized in that the joined hinge parts (22, 24) are secured against coming loose by latching means (40).
 22. The support element according to claim 17, characterized in that the hinge parts (22, 24) can only be joined and separated in a defined relative pivoted position.
 23. The support element according to claim 15, characterized in that the wall ring (4) can be attached to a mounting wall (10) in the area of a wall opening (12), for which purpose, the wall ring (4) preferably has an outer flange-like holding section (14) with mounting holes (16).
 24. The support element according to claim 23, characterized in that the second hinge part (24) is fastened to the mounting wall (12) in the area next to the wall opening (12), for which purpose the second hinge part (24) has mounting holes (46).
 25. The support element according to claim 15, characterized in that, especially in a middle area of the first hinge part (22) as seen in the circumferential direction, the wall ring (4) has at least one cable insertion opening (48).
 26. A fan (1), in particular, an axial fan, having a support element (2) according to one of the preceding claims and having a fan motor (6) with a fan impeller (8) that is secured in the wall ring (4). 